A Tale of Two Cities – 2026 edition

June 15, 2026

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On June 15, 2013, I posted a blog called “A Tale of Two Cities“. I headed it “it was the best of times, it was the worst of times…”

That blog was about the stark difference between two local cities, and how they handled a Pride Month Proclamation. Visalia’s was historic, for all the right reasons. Porterville’s was historic as well, but for all the wrong reasons.

I just left a Visalia City Council meeting. A huge consent calendar, with several items pulled, and five regular session items. The big item on the agenda was the final budget proposal for fiscal years 26/27, and 27/28 (Visalia does a two-year budget cycle).

A $408 million budget for 26/27, and $358 million in 27/28, Visalia manages to have a surplus in it’s General Fund, even after including deposits into the emergency fund (set to maintain a balance of 30% of the yearly budget). Each year expenditures increase, and every year the City is able to either meet the reserve goals, or to only fall short a small amount. A lot of assumptions go into the budget, but Visalia has a history of managing the citizen’s tax monies, and the city, well.

Porterville, on the other hand…

The Porterville Recorder says the 2026/2027 budget for the city is over $37 million, with expenses forecast at $36.6 million. That’s not much of a cushion. The budget also includes $107 million in planned capital improvement projects for the upcoming year. Seems like a gap, but I’m no expert in city budgets.

But all of that is not what I was going to talk about.

In Visalia, the Mayor was absent for the meeting, and the air conditioning failed early in the afternoon. City staff was able to restore the A/C before the evening regular session, and the council moved on with business. With a consent agenda of 37 items, and 5 items on the regular agenda, Monday’s meeting could have gone on for seemingly forever. It did not. Two hours was all it took the Visalia City Council to pull four items from the Consent Calendar, deal with them, and then pass a two-year budget, put contested special assessments on county tax rolls, recertify a sales-tax measure, authorize a zoning change and General Plan amendment to sell some property it owns, and approve new rates and fees for City operations.

Public comments were made by several citizens (including me, twice), only one of which was hostile towards City Council members or the City Manager. One gentleman was not happy about his dealings with the city, and let them know about it. The rest of the comments were general commentary on issues before the City, but at worst were expressing disappointment with some decisions. The meeting ended at 9pm.

A well oiled, well operating machine.

Porterville, however…

Their meetings drag on. And on. And on. Public comments are often angry and upset. Many people in the City are not happy with the current council. Decisions to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on playground equipment (for parks already neglected by the City), a miniature Washington Monument, and bus wraps. $20,000 (edit: $15,000) for a “celebration” of the nations 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, (how watching a MMA fight held at the White House on a big (not that big of a) TV is supposed to celebrate the Declaration of Independence I don’t know) held in a residential neighborhood. Fireworks. In a residential neighborhood. Loud music. In a residential neighborhood. Attendance in the tens (edit: Council member Beltran says about 70 attended) instead of the thousands expected by those on Council who arranged it. Parking headaches in the neighborhood.

In Visalia, public comments are heard by the Council, who sometimes direct City staff to take the speaker out to the hall and discuss the situation to see how the problem can be resolved. I’ve only seen one example (OK, maybe more than once, but they seem to have gotten over that and have returned to a polite decorum most of the time) of a council member chastising the public for comments made.

Porterville Council members routinely chastise the public for being “disrespectful” and “condescending”. Council members demand respect, but don’t show it to speakers. Several of them denigrate people who disagree with them politically and religiously. One council member accused a charity group of being “angry”, because when he (deliberately, no doubt) said “Merry Christmas” to them, someone responded “Happy Holidays”. That kind of thing is a regular feature of Porterville City Council meetings, and something several Council members regularly indulge in. It’s embarrassing.

This blog could go on for pages, comparing these two cities. It won’t. I’ll end it here, with the statement that I’m really glad I live in Visalia.

Proclamation 1, Proclamation 2

June 5, 2026

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Here’s the text of the proclamation issued by three of the five Tulare County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, June 2, 2026:

RECOGNIZING _ LGBT+ ORGANIZATIONS
FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO TULARE COUNTY
WHEREAS, Tulare County is home to a rich and diverse community ·where compassion, belonging, and service strengthen the bonds between neighbors; and


WHEREAS, The Source LGBT+ Center, PFLAG Tulare & Kings Counties, and the Visalia Pride Lions Club have each demonstrated extraordinary leadership and commitment to ensuring that all residents are treated with dignity and respect; and


WHEREAS, PFLAG Tulare & Kings Counties offers understanding, encouragement, and education to families and allies of LGBTQ+ individuals, helping to foster acceptance and strengthen relationships across generations; and


WHEREAS, the Visalia Pride Lions Club exemplifies the spirit of service through its volunteerism, philanthropy, and outreach, uniting community members in efforts that promote inclusion and kindness for all; and


WHEREAS, The Source LGBT+ Center, celebrating their 10th anniversary, provides vital programs and services that promote health, education, advocacy, and empowerment, serving as a safe and affirming space for individuals and families throughout Tulare County; and


WHEREAS, these organizations promote understanding, cultivate vibrant communities, and champion the fundamental rights of all citizens, ensuring that everyone – regardless of who they are or whom they love – has the opportunity to live with dignity and pride.


NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Tulare County Board of Supervisors does hereby recognize PFLAG Tulare & Kings Counties, the Visalia Pride Lions Club, and The Source LGBT + Center for their dedication, advocacy, and lasting contributions to the people of Tulare County.

Here’s a proclamation Gemini AI and I created, that uses almost the exact same language as the first, but is about three other organizations in Tulare County:

Here’s the text of my faux proclamation:

County of TwoLarry
Board of Supervisors

Proclamation
RECOGNIZING FAMILY SERVICES ORGANIZATIONS FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO TWOLARRY COUNTY

WHEREAS, TwoLarry County is home to a rich and diverse community where compassion, belonging, and service strengthen the bonds between neighbors; and

WHEREAS, The Parenting Network, Inc., Family Services of Tulare County, and CSET have each demonstrated extraordinary leadership and commitment to ensuring that all residents are treated with dignity and respect; and

WHEREAS, The Parenting Network, Inc. offers understanding, encouragement, and education to families, helping to foster acceptance and strengthen relationships across generations; and

WHEREAS, CSET exemplifies the spirit of service through its volunteerism, philanthropy, and outreach, uniting community members in efforts that promote inclusion and kindness for all; and

WHEREAS, Family Services of Tulare County provides vital programs and services that promote health, education, advocacy, and empowerment, serving as a safe and affirming space for individuals and families throughout TwoLarry County; and

WHEREAS, these organizations promote understanding, cultivate vibrant communities, and champion the fundamental rights of all citizens, ensuring that everyone – regardless of who they are – has the opportunity to live with dignity and pride.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the TwoLarry County Board of Supervisors does hereby recognize The Parenting Network, Inc., CSET, and Family Services of Tulare County for their dedication, advocacy, and lasting contributions to the people of TwoLarry County.

Here are some comments on Facebook posts by various news sources about the Supervisors walking out during the presentation:

Cari – People are sick and tired of seeing this crap at EVERY turn! I could care less which way one leans, but honoring someone because of their sexuality is about the most RIDICULOUS thing I may have ever heard of, and at a Board of Supervisors meeting?!

Deborah – Keep it in the bedroom not the boardroom! Geeze people. This is sickening. Grow up! Stop pushing your sins on everyone.

Joel – Right on. We need to stop celebrating a small section of society and acknowledging them for their sexual preferences. So stupid and absurd to celebrate people not procreating and many living a life of debauchery. Celebrate mom’s and dad’s for June.

David – This is not about homophobia or bigotry it is about keeping your sex life out of politics. Proclamations like this are divisive. Should we have a heterosexual proclamation? For Christians, the Bible is very clear; no room for interpretation. I will always treat Amy with respect, but I do not agree with her life choices, and they do belong at home, not the office.

Now, in any of the text of either proclamation, is there any reference to bedrooms, sin, sexual preferences, debauchery, or life choices? If the second proclamation could be acceptable because the organizations are not LGBT related, and with barely any change in the text, why are so many up in arms about the first?

I think I know. I suspect you do, too.

Retirement can be dangerous

June 5, 2026

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Image by Gemini AI

It’s dangerous because it gives me time to start digging into things about our local government. Before I retired, I didn’t have the time or the mental bandwidth to pursue the minutiae of government. Now I do. I just submitted my fourth Public Records request. Fifth, if you count the request sent off to the municipal golf course. (It’s run by a private vendor, so I may not be able to get the information I wanted from there.)

The biggest problem right now is to not over-extend myself. I still have other things I want to pursue, but I need to limit my load to what I’ve requested so far.

I’ve got three active requests for public records in at the moment, counting the one I just emailed a few minutes ago. That one is my first to Tulare County. I have one closed and one open request at the City of Visalia, and one at Visalia Unified School District. The open requests are due to be fulfilled by the 18th and the 20th of June, so I’m still waiting.

My next project? Maybe an update to the Visalia City Charter. Lots of things need to be updated there. Starting with gender-neutral pronouns. And library trustees. But that’s for later.

(Final Jeopardy Theme Song here)

Cowardly Lions, Part 2 – Defending the indefensible

June 3, 2026

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The Dynamic Duo on the Tulare County Board of Supervisors is doubling-down. After walking out of the Board Chambers during a proclamation presentation recognizing three local LGBT organizations, both District 5 Board member Dennis Townsend and District 2 Board member Pete Vander Poel, while insisting their actions were “respectful”, have had to defend themselves in response to public outcry, and questions from newspaper reporters. For the back-story, read my previous blog post, Cowardly Lions.

Vander Poel, in an interview given to the Sun-Gazette newspaper, said he supported The Source LGBT+ Center and The Visalia Pride Lions, two of the three organizations recognized by the proclamation. He would not support the proclamation, however, because it included PFLAG Tulare & Kings Counties.

Having never heard of PFLAG before, Vander Poel says in an email response to a constituent, that he did some “research” on the group. A picture there apparently triggered Vander Poel. It showed, he said, “When you look at their home page you will see a photo. In that photo, there are individuals holding signs that say “Trump Treason=Lock Him Up” and “Fight Ignorance Not Immigrants” and “Affordable Health Care for All”. On the about link, they highlight protesting. On the PFLAG national website, they talk about “Fighting” and “Protesting”. Vander Poel went on to say, “Activism and protesting are not strategies I believe in and I did not want to recognize a seemingly political organization that focuses on that.” I find it strange that he says “activism and protesting are not strategies I believe in.” Really? What country does he live in?

That, of course, is not what PFLAG is all about. “PFLAG ​is the nation’s largest organization dedicated to supporting, educating, and advocating for LGBTQ+ people and those who love them.” – From the “About Us” page on PFLAG National’s website. Vander Poel grabbed onto one partially visible sign in one picture on one page of the website, and decided that meant the local PFLAG chapter was all about “fighting” and “protesting”.

Townsend, in the same Sun-Gazette interview, says he was not familiar with Visalia Pride Lions. He described PFLAG as a ‘far-left wing political organization, and was about the LGBT lifestyle’. He told the Board of Supervisors staff to remove his name from the proclamation form.

Channeling the ghosts of a proclamation fiasco in a city in his district, Porterville, from back in 2013, Townsend accused Board Chair Amy Shuklian of a “little sleight of hand”. In the 2013 incident, Porterville City Council members accused then-Mayor Virginia Gurrola of manipulating the procedures to present a June Pride Month Proclamation for that city. Townsend accused Shuklian of originally presenting it as a recognition of The Source LGBT+ Center’s 10th anniversary, and was a “setup” to have it presented during Pride Month. He said it was “not appropriate”.

What it boils down to, is both Vander Poel and Townsend are right-wing Republicans, and have, apparently, decided that supporting the LGBT community in such a visible manner is a bridge too far.

I let them know how I feel about their actions in public comments immediately after the proclamation.

“I find it very disturbing that Mr. Vander Poel and Mr. Townsend left the room during this presentation. The disrespect that shows is just stunning to me, that you would be leaders of the entire county and walk out of this room when the LGBT community is recognized. Thank you to the three that stayed, and made very nice comments. I think they’re fine examples of leadership in this county. Three out of five, I guess.”

The fallout is still raining down. Social media is buzzing with talk about the subject. My posts alone, in less than 30 hours, have had over 40,000 views, just on this subject.

I told members of the Board of Trustees of the Visalia Unified School District that they “needed to do better”, in a recent public comments session. Now it looks like I’ll have to direct that message to two of the Tulare County Board of Supervisors, as well.

The joys of living in a bright red part of California. *sigh*

Cowardly Lions

June 2, 2026

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Meet Tulare County Supervisors Pete Vander Poel (left), and Dennis Townsend. Today they demonstrated a glaring lack of leadership during the June 2, 2026, Board meeting. Not just that, though. They sent a very strong message to their constituents. For their MAGA compatriots, they will no doubt be hailed as heroes. For the LGBTQ community, however, they sent a very different message. One of contempt and disdain.

Board Chair Amy Shuklian, seen below, issued a proclamation recognizing three LBGTQ organizations for their “contributions to Tulare County”. It was signed by Shuklian, and Board members Larry Micari and Eddie Valero.

You’ll notice two empty chairs on the dais. (Well, three, but Amy’s doesn’t count, since she’s the one making the presentation) Those empty seats belong to Vander Poel and Townsend. They wouldn’t even stay in the room during the presentation. This is a clear abrogation of their duties as representatives of Tulare County as a whole. There are over 473,000 people living here, and if the nation-wide percentages of the queer community as part of the total population hold true here, and there’s no reason to suspect they don’t, then at least 47,300 of those constituents are a member of the LGBTQIA+ community. Townsend and Vander Poel just told them what they think of them. There’s clearly no respect there.

Here’s the proclamation they wouldn’t be in the same room for:

It’s a sad commentary on right-wing politics (because both are local Republican leaders) when something as innocuous as a proclamation recognizing three organizations for their social outreach and public service activities is a bridge too far. It’s bad enough not to sign it, but leaving the room is a slap in the face of every LGBT person in Tulare County, and those that love them.

Cowardly lions, both of them. Oz needs to give them courage, and a heart. It’s clear they have neither.

Hate In A Small Town 4 – it’s Déjà vu all over again

March 19, 2025

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The Internet meme definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over, and expecting a different result. I’m beginning to think it might be slightly insane to expect Porterville to ever join the rest of us in the 21st century. Here we go, again.

My previous blogs about Porterville and it’s LGBTQ+ community can be found at these links:

Hate In A Small Town (1) – where a Mayoral Proclamation proclaiming June 2013 as LGBT Month in Porterville is trashed by the rest of the Council and results in the Mayor and Vice-Mayor being removed from their ceremonial offices, the proclamation rescinded (a first anywhere, as far as I could find), and a bland replacement proclamation designating June 2013 as “a month of community charity and goodwill to all in Porterville”. They also changed the rules so that a vote of the Council would be required to issue a proclamation, rather than leave it as a function of the Mayor alone.

Hate In A Small Town 2 – Does Your God Hate? – One the one year anniversary of the Pride Proclamation, the LGBTQ+ community held a rally across from City Hall. Some haters joined in proclaiming the hate of God towards gay folk.

Porterville City Council Still Snubbing LGBTQ Community – (3) the same council as above refuses a Coming Out Day proclamation request.

Fast forward to 2019, and a different City Council.

We thought Porterville was finally growing and becoming a loving place. On May 21, 2019, a proclamation was issued by the City Council (a different council than the first mentioned above, and different from the current one), recognizing Harvey Milk Day In Porterville. On Tuesday, October 15, 2019, by a three to two vote, Porterville’s City Council declared October 11, 2019 as National Coming Out Day in the city. Things were looking up.

We should have known better.

Hate In A Small Town 4 –

The current city council of Porterville, California (ironically enough, an “All American City”).

Mayor Greg Meister
Vice Mayor Ed McKervey
Raymond Beltran
Stan Green
AJ Rivas

The Mayor and Vice-Mayor have teamed up to introduce anti-trans resolutions in Porterville. One would ban trans women and girls from bathrooms, locker rooms, and team sports. The other would require schools in the city to report to parents any requests by students to use names, pronouns, restroom facilities, or play on team sports that do not match their birth sex. (This would violate California state law, but that doesn’t seem to faze this council. They know about it, but are trying to find a way around that messy problem.)

From the March 4 agenda:

24: Consideration of Proposed Establishment of Ordinance to Protect Women’s Safe Spaces

Re: Council direction on the proposed establishment of an Ordinance to Protect Women’s Safe Spaces.

From the March 18 agenda:

21: Consideration of Proposed Establishment of Ordinance Safeguarding Parental Rights in Education and Child Upbringing

Re: Council to provide direction on the proposed establishment of an Ordinance

If you want to find these documents online, go to this page, and select the appropriate date.

A lot of people spoke during “oral communications” (they really need to change that name. ‘Public Comments’ seems much more appropriate). You can see the You Tube video here, but the whole show is almost six hours long! (they love to talk, and talk, and talk. It’s important that they express how MAGA they are) Most comments by the public were against the proposed actions.

Dr. Kathryn Hall, M.D., a long-time pediatrician in the area, who has treated many from Porterville over the years, spoke.

I said a few words, too.

The MAGA runs deep in this council. The Mayor and Vice-Mayor, at least in the two meetings I attended, tried very diligently to out-MAGA each other. Go watch some of their meeting video, if you have the stomach for it.

The Vice-Mayor doesn’t like being challenged on his ignorance. He takes it personally. He views folks who oppose these hate proposals as “triggered activists”. And after I spoke, he amended it to “triggered activists, from out of town”. He said he would not “participate in their psychosis”, referring to anyone who believes differently from him. The Vice-Mayor spoke disparagingly of the local LGBT+ center, essentially blaming it for gains made by the LGBT+ community in Tulare County. He was annoyed that anyone would speak confrontationally, and not grovel or kiss his ring. He condemned speakers for (paraphrasing, I’m not going back and try to find the exact words he used) yelling at them, rather than having a ‘conversation’. He seemed to forget that during ‘oral communications’, the public can only speak, and the council can only listen. There is no ‘conversation’ allowed by the Brown Act. He chastised speakers for being condescending towards the council, when most of his remarks on the issue were truly condescending of the public. I tell ‘ya, it’s all projection with these guys.

I did invite the council to contact The Source LGBT+ Center, and educate themselves with factual information on transgender issues. I’m not holding my breath on that.

Hate in a small town. It hasn’t been rooted out yet. It’s discouraging, but like I said during my comments, “we’re here, we’re queer, and we’re not going away”.

Porterville Mayor attacks LGBT community

February 28, 2025

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Greg Meister, Mayor of Porterville, California.

Two items on the Porterville City Council agenda for Tuesday, March 4, 2025 are listed below. At the Mayor’s behest, and with the apparent support of at least the Vice-Mayor, the council will consider two items attacking the LGBTQ community in Porterville. The city council has a long history of hate directed at it’s LGBTQ community.

On the consent agenda:

17. Request for Proclamation – Women’s Rights
Re: Considering approval of a request to proclaim Women’s Rights in the City of
Porterville

On the Scheduled Matters agenda:

24. Consideration of Proposed Establishment of Ordinance to Protect Women’s
Safe Spaces
Re: Council direction on the proposed establishment of an Ordinance to Protect
Women’s Safe Spaces

These are the first two steps in an attempt by the mayor to impose an ordinance prohibiting trans women from using women’s toilets or locker rooms, and ban them from women’s sports. Despite there being no credible examples, arrests, or convictions of trans women sexually assaulting cis women in those spaces, and that this ordinance will put the city in violation of California law, Meister has decided this is a solution he can get behind.

The head of the NCAA testified before Congress recently that in the 510,000 athletes in the association, he knew of fewer than ten who were transgender. A check of the sporting records does not show a takeover of top spots by trans women. They seem to fall in a random scale among women taking medals or setting records. There is no evidence of an ‘unfair advantage’ for trans women in any sport.

Let’s look at some research. This is posted at the National Institute of Health‘s National Library of Medicine, the National Center of Biotechnology Information:

An official website of the United States government

(Musk and his minions have obviously not stumbled upon this page. Nobody tell him, OK?)

Trans Women and Public Restrooms: The Legal Discourse and Its Violence

Abstract

Safe access to public restrooms is an essential need for participation in civic life, in the workplace, in educational settings, and other public spaces. This is no different for transgender people. However, access to public restrooms according to gender identity has sparked controversy to the extent that transgender people face embarrassment and even expulsion from these spaces. The lack of access of the transgender population to public restrooms has a negative impact on the physical and mental health of this population. Thus, this article aims to address the main consequences that the ban on the use of bathrooms has for the transgender population, specifically the access of transgender women to the women’s restroom. We covered some legal aspects of “bathroom laws” and the main arguments in this discussion. We understand that the prohibition of access to the restroom constitutes a form of gender violence and discrimination, as we conclude that the arguments that express concerns about safety are not supported.

For the entire publication, check here.

Now, I know research and facts will not sway right-wing nut jobs (not that I’m accusing the Mayor of being one, but if the shoe fits…), but the council should know that the larger LGBTQ community and our allies will not stand quietly by while they attack the trans community with lies and hatred. We will be heard and seen.

A public protest will occur before the City Council meeting, at 4:30pm, across from City Hall. The address of City Hall is 291 N. Main Street. Regular council meeting starts at 6:30 pm. Because of the way Porterville handles it’s council meetings, it could be late in the evening before the matter is handled, and public comments are heard.

Porterville steps back into LGBTQ hate

February 23, 2025

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It’s like déjà vu all over again. Porterville’s current Mayor, Greg Meister, has proposed a new city ordinance, which he is calling “Protect Women’s Safe Spaces”. In it, he wants to bar “biological men” from using women’s facilities, locker rooms, or playing in women’s sports. Meister is quoted in the Porterville Recorder saying the ordinance is “really drawing some lines for sure”.

In 2008, Porterville became the only city in California to adopt a formal position on Proposition 8, which would have inserted into the state Constitution limits that would only recognize marriage as between a man and a woman (it passed, but was later rendered moot as SCOTUS made marriage equality the law of the land with Obergefell v. Hodges)(In 2024, California voters removed the language of Prop 8 from the state Constitution with Prop 3). The city council voted to urge Porterville voters to support Prop 8.

In 2013, then Mayor Virginia Gurrola issued a proclamation recognizing June as LGBT Pride Month in Porterville. All hell broke loose. In a fiasco-ridden panic to rescind the Mayor’s Proclamation (a proclamation she was entirely authorized to issue), it took three months for the other council members to get their act together and not only rescind the proclamation, but to remove the Mayor and Vice-Mayor from their ceremonial positions.

In 2014, then Mayor Cameron Hamilton became the right-wing echo chamber’s darling for his infamous “grow a pair” remarks, when a student-led anti-bullying program called “Safe Zones” was brought before the Council for support, by councilmember Virginia Gurrola. The conservative majority on the council wasn’t having anything to do with what they thought was a LGBT positive proposal. They shot it down, and Mayor Hamilton earned his 15 minutes of fame on Fox by uttering his now-infamous line.

In 2019, glimmers of hope were seen in Porterville, as then Mayor Martha Flores issued a proclamation recognizing May 22, 2019, as Harvey Milk Day. It was signed by the Mayor, and council members Milt Stowe, Monte Reyes, and Daniel Penaloza. Vice Mayor Brian Ward (author and instigator of many previous anti-LGBTQ actions by the Porterville City Council) did not sign the proclamation. (He was out of town at the time, but rest assured he would not have signed it regardless, in my opinion)

Also in 2019, on October 15, (a few days late due to scheduling issues) Porterville City Council recognized October 11 as National Coming Out Day. That proclamation was signed by Mayor Martha Flores, Vice Mayor Monte Reyes, council members Virginia Gurroloa, Milt Stowe, and Daniel Penaloza. Mayor Flores did throw some cold water on the festivities, however, when she, in an attempt, I assume, to sound inclusive, mentioned that she had “it” in her own family, referring to homosexuality.

We thought Porterville had turned a corner. We should have known better.

In 2021, more animus towards the LGBTQ community was on display when the city council decided that it needed to regulate billboards in the city, after The Source LGBT+ Center put up a couple of advertisements for STI testing.

Fast forward to 2025, and with a new administration in power in Washington, D.C., Porterville has decided it hasn’t been demonstrating it’s LGBTQ animus strongly enough recently. The Mayor, therefore, has decided to jump on the ‘transgender women are the devil’ bandwagon. Even though it very likely violates California’s Unruh Civil Rights Act, Meister wants the city staff and attorney to bring an ordinance before the council that would ban “biological men” from “women’s spaces”.

Here’s an email I sent to Mayor Meister and the other members of the city council:

From: Jim Reeves <jim.visalia@gmail.com>
Sent: Friday, February 21, 2025 1:55:44 PM
To: Greg Meister <gregmeister@ci.porterville.ca.us>
Cc: Raymond Beltran <raymondbeltran@ci.porterville.ca.us>; Ed McKervey <edmckervey@ci.porterville.ca.us>; Stan Green <stangreen@ci.porterville.ca.us>; AJ Rivas <ajrivas@ci.porterville.ca.us>
Subject: “Protect Women’s Safe Spaces”

Greg Meister, Porterville Mayor, and members of the City Council:

If the anti-trans bathroom ordinance proposed by Mayor Meister passes, and should the person pictured below have reason to visit your city, do you REALLY want him to walk into the women’s restroom? 

Meet Luke Ireland, U.S. Air Force. Both of these pictures are from the Air Force Times, the first from about a decade ago, the other from about three years ago. 

He is a trans man, and your proposal would require him to use the women’s facilities in Porterville. This proposal is a solution in search of a problem. There are no verifiable arrests or convictions of a trans-woman sexually assaulting a cis-woman or girl in a bathroom or locker room. It’s just not a thing, but you seem determined to embarrass Porterville by adding to its already notorious reputation as anti-LGBTQ. I thought Porterville was making progress, but we’ll see if and when this comes up for a vote if that progress is real, or just fantasy. 

I want you to consider the following scenario:

A man decides to follow a woman (or a young girl) into a restroom in order to sexually assault her. He does not want to attract attention, so what does he do? Just walk in? Risky. He stands out dressed like a man. Maybe someone sees him following his target into the restroom. As the ordinances stand now, if he wants to get in without attracting attention, he’ll need to get into some kind of women’s wear. 

Under your proposed ordinance, it will be common to see people who look like men walking into the women’s restroom, because you’ve required trans-men to use them. Our bad guy can now just walk right in, and if anyone challenges him, he can claim to be a trans-man, who you required to use this restroom. Nobody will know the difference, unless you’re going to post genital inspectors at the door. 

Knock off the anti-trans discrimination and hate, Mr. Mayor. It’s a bad look for you, and sets Porterville back a decade.

Jim Reeves

Visalia

jim.visalia@gmail.com

I’ve received nothing back except the following, from the Vice-Mayor, Ed McKervery:

“Go read what HHS stated about this.

Thanks for your input”

Protest rallies are planned for the next City Council meeting, where the first of many actions to pass this proposed ordinance may occur.

The Tulare Stonewall Democrats plan a protest rally to “Standup For Our Trans Community in Porterville“, 4:30 pm, Tuesday, March 4, 2025, in front of City Hall, 219 N Main Street, Porterville.

The city council meeting starts at 6:30pm.

“Shoving it down our throat…”

December 12, 2023

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One of the most common refrains those of us in the queer community hear is something along the lines of, “we don’t care what you do in the bedroom, just don’t shove it down our throats!”

This is usually in response to something innocuous, like a queer couple holding hands in public while walking down Main Street, or perhaps when a rainbow flag is flown from a home or business during June. Proclamations by City Councils or County Board of Supervisors really set some people off.

Oddly, however, that is a one-way outrage street.

Christians love to “shove it down our throat” when they’re proselytizing about their god. Today’s example is courtesy of the Tulare County Board of Supervisors.

During today’s (December 12, 2023) Board meeting, they approved the addition of “IN GOD WE TRUST” to the chambers. Board Chair Dennis Townsend, District 5 (Porterville area), recently proposed adding the phrase to a wall in the chambers, supposedly as a nod to the United States Motto, saying in the November 28th meeting that “… in god we trust is how our nation was founded, and even in that it is not specific” to any particular god.

However…

Maybe I missed it in the multitude of gods believed in over the years, and the somewhat smaller group with active believers around the world and in Tulare County today, but, as far as I know, only one particular god is referred to as GOD. That’s the Christian god, also known as Yahweh or Jehovah.

So to claim the Christian god is not necessarily the one being referred to when “IN GOD WE TRUST” is prominently displayed is disingenuous. It’s also not the case, in spite of fundamentalist Christians going on otherwise, that this nation was founded as a Christian nation, and with the Bible being a primary source of the nation’s underpinnings.

On June 10, 1797, President John Adams signed the Treaty of Tripoli, after a unanimous vote to approve by the United States Senate. Article 11 of that treaty states, in part, that “As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion…” There are other instances of the founders making it clear they were not Christians and were not basing the new nation on that faith system. Many were deists, and had a belief in a god, but not necessarily the Christian version.

And yet, “IN GOD WE TRUST”.

Kudos to Supervisor Amy Shuklian for her actions which changed the sign from an obvious Christian proselytization to something more in line with the alleged homage to the United States. She proposed, and was successful in adding, “E Pluribus Unum” to the signage. In the final vote Supervisor Shuklian voted against the installation, but was outvoted by the rest of the Board.

If the goal was really to show respect for the founding of the United States, and display something that encompasses that which the nation is really based upon, I think this would have been more appropriate:

But that doesn’t shove anything down anyone’s throat, does it?

25 years, 3 weeks, 12 hours. 9-1-1 and done.

August 18, 2019

Jim Reeves 9-1-1, commentary, Personal , , , , , , Leave a comment

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August 2, 2019. After 25 years, 3 weeks, and 12 hours, I’m officially retired. Here’s a look back at some of what I saw.

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